Website Planning for Better Websites

Your business website is probably one of the most important tools in your armoury for marketing your business effectively.

There is no point in doing any marketing at all if you are driving people to a website that is just not working for you.

It is, in our humble opinion, critical that any business website is planned properly so that it really works for your visitors and, therefore, you.

With our comprehensive website planning service, we really take a deep dive into your business and map out exactly what your website needs to look like, and to achieve, to be your most effective marketing tool.

Creative Planning

Top Websites

Drive Traffic

Capture Data

Clever Ideas

Website Planning Needs Coffee & Croissants

Technology can be a blessing and a burden. But it really doesn’t have to be. Dive in with a bit of knowledge and understanding and you can make it work for you – not get the better of you. Planning your website properly will ensure that it will work for you far better than if you don’t.

Authors of ‘The Smart Start Guide to Website Planning’ and with over 30 years of digital marketing experience in business and communicating digitally, the We Get Digital team and their comprehensive website planning service are well positioned to get to grips with your business and provide you with the support and training you need to succeed.

Creative Power When Website Planning

Show – Your brand should be visible and easily recognisable. Your visitors should understand your values and see that your personality matches theirs.

Sell – Grow sales by offering wider distribution to customers you can’t service offline or selling a broader product range than in-store. But if you really do your website planning correctly this will all come naturally.

Serve – Add value by giving customers extra benefits online, or informing product development through online dialogue and feedback. Read more about website planning in one of our blogs here

Understanding Websites

Speak – Get closer to customers by tracking them, asking them questions, and building relationships. Understand how your visitors want to feel when they visit your website.

Save – Save costs of servicing your customers and clients, sales transactions and administration, print, post and so much more by website planning and building a better website that it fit for purpose.

Sizzle – Extend your brand online and reinforce your brand values. The web is excellent for creating brand awareness, recognition and involvement and really getting that engagement nailed.

8 Top Tips for Website Planning

Website planning refers to the process of determining and organising the various aspects of a website before its development and implementation. It involves defining the website’s goals, target audience, content structure, functionality, and design elements. Website planning is crucial because it helps ensure that the final website meets the needs of both the organisation and its users.

Here are the key steps involved in website planning:

1. Defining Goals and Objectives

The first step is to clearly define the purpose of the website. Determine what you want to achieve with the website, whether it’s to sell products, provide information, generate leads, or establish an online presence. Set specific goals and objectives that align with your overall business or organisational objectives.

2. Identifying Target Audiences

Understanding your target audience is vital for creating a website that meets their needs and expectations. Conduct research to identify your audience’s demographics, interests, preferences, and online behaviour. This information will guide decisions related to content, design, and functionality.

3. Content Strategy

Develop a content strategy that outlines the types of content you will create and how it will be organised and presented on the website. Consider the different pages, sections, and categories that will be required to effectively communicate your message. Plan for text, images, videos, and other media elements that will engage and inform your audience.

4. Information Architecture

Determine the structure and organisation of your website’s content. Create a sitemap that outlines the main sections, sub-sections, and pages of the website. Consider the hierarchy and navigation system that will allow users to easily find the information they are looking for. A well-designed information architecture ensures intuitive navigation and a logical flow of information.

5. Functional Requirements

Identify the specific features and functionality that your website needs to have. This may include contact forms, search functionality, e-commerce capabilities, user registration, content management system (CMS), or integration with third-party tools and services. Define the desired user interactions and outline how these features will be implemented.

6. Visual Design

Work on the visual aspects of your website. Consider the overall look and feel, including colours, typography, imagery, and branding elements. Create wireframes or mock-ups to visualise the layout and design of key pages. Ensure that the design aligns with your brand identity and appeals to your target audience.

7. Technical Considerations

Determine the technical requirements for your website, such as the choice of a content management system (CMS), hosting options, and any specific development frameworks or technologies. Consider factors like website performance, scalability, security, and mobile responsiveness. If necessary, involve web developers or technical experts to ensure a smooth implementation.

8. Timeline and Budget

Establish a realistic timeline for the development and launch of the website. Consider dependencies, milestones, and potential delays. Set a budget for the project, accounting for resources like design, development, content creation, hosting, and ongoing maintenance. Be mindful of cost constraints and prioritise features and functionalities accordingly.

By following these steps and thoroughly planning your website, you can ensure that it meets your objectives, engages your target audience, and provides a positive user experience. Effective planning helps streamline the development process and reduces the likelihood of costly revisions or modifications later on.

Best Practice with Images

Understand the three top things you need to do in order to help with your SEO image indexing on your website. Just a short video to help get it right.

Great SEO Information

Access and download a really useful ebook that we have written to help you do your own SEO. Written in a jargon-free manner this will really help.

Get Your Website Right

Fail to plan, plan to fail! Cliche but true. This planner will give you some really great ideas about what you need to consider when building a website.

FAQs

1. What does website planning involve?

It involves business strategy, audience research, sitemap & wireframes, content planning, technical requirements so your website delivers what you need.

2. Why is planning important before design/development?

Good planning helps avoid costly changes later, ensures structure is solid, improves user experience and SEO.

3. Do you involve clients in planning stage?

Yes — we collaborate closely, gather your goals, review your content, branding, and use insights from you to shape the plan.

4. Does planning include keyword / SEO research?

Yes, we include keyword & competitor research so the site is built with SEO in mind from the start.

5. How long does planning take?

Depends on scope; for small site planning might take a week or two; larger projects may need more time for research and approvals.

Website Planning for Better Websites